Australia: Sport, History, and Culture

Location

Australia: Sydney

Program Summary

The country of Australia offers enriching opportunities for students interested in the rich cultural exchange, fascinating heritage and Australia’s love of sport which is sometimes humorously described as “Australia’s national religion”. The unique environment and landscape of Australia (thought to be the oldest continent in the world) is home to one of the world’s oldest surviving cultures. This is particularly notable given that Australian Aboriginal people are thought to have lived on this land for at least 60,000 years.

Combine this human diversity (and incredible sustainability) with the various waves of multi-ethnic migration which followed the British colonization of Australia in the late 1700s and a student will find a unique blend of world history and cultural difference. Most interestingly, Australians take great national pride in their philosophy of “sport for all”. In this egalitarian approach, a government-supported system funds an active lifestyle and continually focuses ...

Program Summary

The country of Australia offers enriching opportunities for students interested in the rich cultural exchange, fascinating heritage and Australia’s love of sport which is sometimes humorously described as “Australia’s national religion”. The unique environment and landscape of Australia (thought to be the oldest continent in the world) is home to one of the world’s oldest surviving cultures. This is particularly notable given that Australian Aboriginal people are thought to have lived on this land for at least 60,000 years.

Combine this human diversity (and incredible sustainability) with the various waves of multi-ethnic migration which followed the British colonization of Australia in the late 1700s and a student will find a unique blend of world history and cultural difference. Most interestingly, Australians take great national pride in their philosophy of “sport for all”. In this egalitarian approach, a government-supported system funds an active lifestyle and continually focuses on nutrition and wellness from the recreational to the elite level. Because of this government intervention, it is no surprise that Australians enjoy a devotion to sport that encourages and facilitates an active and healthy lifestyle.

Program Highlights

As part of this SU Abroad program, students will learn through numerous academic lectures, site visits, and meetings/interactions with university professors, other students and industry professionals. Students will also explore four distinct regions across Australia while traveling to Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, and Daintree National Park. Numerous opportunities annually await Syracuse students looking to fully explore a foreign culture by attending major sporting events but also by learning from cultural exchanges with local Aboriginal leaders and by exploring the many beautiful World Heritage-listed tourism sites and tropical adventurous activities that abound in Australia. Students will enjoy at least 3 university lectures at 3 different Australian universities in 3 different cities. New to 2017, students will be able to experience Jungle Surfing (zip-lining) along with some other great recreation opportunities.